What Madera Irrigation District does

Madera Irrigation District (MID), founded in 1920 and headquartered at 12152 Road 28 1/4 in Madera, California, is a California special district and the largest irrigation district in Madera County. The district's stated mission is to obtain and manage affordable surface water and groundwater supplies to ensure the long-term viability of irrigated agriculture within the district. On July 12, 2016, MID established its Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) as the first 'Exclusive' GSA in Madera County, encompassing approximately 128,000 acres and giving the district statutory authority over groundwater coordination in the Madera Subbasin.

MID's core operations combine physical water-distribution infrastructure with groundwater stewardship programs. Surface water delivery is handled through the district's canal network, with growers required to submit Crop Water Applications and order water prior to taking deliveries. Groundwater management is executed through dedicated recharge basins, an On-Farm Recharge Program that encourages growers to recharge surface water on their crops during high-availability periods, monitoring well fields developed in partnership with Stanford University, and the Domestic Well Mitigation Program for landowners with well issues. Grower-facing interactions are digitized through the WaterUI online portal, which provides water-usage visibility, account balances, and ordering functionality. The district also coordinates with ACWA, CSDA, the Friant Water Authority, the Madera-Chowchilla Water & Power Authority, and other regional water bodies.

MID operates as a government entity under a Board-set rate structure. Water rates are established annually and differ by landowner class: $110 per acre-foot for Original District landowners and $220 per acre-foot for Subordinate landowners for standard deliveries, with significantly reduced $10 and $20 per acre-foot rates, respectively, during flood-alleviation and recharge periods. Revenue is generated primarily through volumetric water sales, annual assessment fees on landowners, and recharge-water sales. The go-to-market model is direct, with the district engaging growers via phone, email, in-person visits to the Madera office, and the WaterUI portal, while also reaching landowners through news releases, the official website (powered by Streamline for Special Districts), and industry-association channels.

Name

Madera Irrigation District

Legal name

Madera Irrigation District

Website

https://madera-id.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Madera Irrigation District, founded in 1920, is the largest irrigation district in Madera County, California. It delivers surface water and manages groundwater recharge for approximately 128,000 acres of agricultural land under California's SGMA framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Irrigation Water Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Water-Smart Irrigation & Water Stewardship (Drip/Micro, Scheduling, Water Harvesting) (AFAGAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Irrigation System Design & Engineering (AFACAFAA), Irrigation Design, Installation & Maintenance Services (Engineering, Retrofit, Repair) (AFAAACAL)

Keywords

• Irrigation water distribution
• Groundwater recharge services
• Agricultural water management
• Surface water delivery
• Groundwater sustainability agency

Headquarters

HQ city

Madera

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Water Distribution Services: MID generates revenue through water distribution to agricultural landowners. Rates are set annually by the Board of Directors. Original District landowners receive preferential rates compared to Subordinate landowners. Additional revenue from water is generated during periods of high availability at reduced rates to promote groundwater recharge.
2. Groundwater Recharge Water Sales: During periods of water availability, MID provides water for groundwater recharge purposes at reduced rates to benefit District growers while supplementing the groundwater aquifer.
3. Assessment Fees: District collects assessment fees from landowners to fund operations, maintenance, and infrastructure as a special district.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Madera Irrigation District is a California special district that manages surface water and groundwater supplies to ensure the viability of irrigated agriculture in Madera County. It distributes irrigation water to landowners through a canal infrastructure network, operates groundwater recharge basins and on-farm recharge programs, runs a Domestic Well Mitigation Program for affected landowners, and serves as the first Exclusive Groundwater Sustainability Agency in Madera County under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

Product overview

Madera Irrigation District operates as a single unified water management organization providing irrigation water distribution, groundwater recharge, and sustainability services to agricultural landowners in Madera County, California. The District's core offerings include surface water delivery through its distribution system, groundwater recharge programs (both basin-based and on-farm), a Domestic Well Mitigation Program for landowners, and Groundwater Sustainability Agency operations under SGMA. Growers access services through the WaterUI online portal for account management and water ordering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Distribution Services Surface water delivery and distribution through the District's canal infrastructure to agricultural landowners within the Madera Irrigation District boundaries for irrigation of crops; requires a Crop Water Application and a water order prior to delivery, with availability varying by location within the district.
• Groundwater Recharge Program Recharge basins and coordinated water release activities that replenish the underlying groundwater aquifer while providing growers with reduced-cost surface water during high-availability periods, supporting long-term groundwater sustainability under California's SGMA.
• Domestic Well Mitigation Program (DWMP) A four-phase assistance program (application, approval, construction, payment) that helps District landowners with domestic well issues obtain well drilling or remediation; participation begins with submission of an Initial Well Assessment Form, a completed Application, and a nonrefundable $100 application fee.
• WaterUI Online Portal Self-service online portal at mid.waterui.com that lets District growers view their water usage and account balances and manage water-related activity digitally.
• On-Farm Recharge Program Program encouraging District growers who can take surface water to actively recharge on their crops during periods when water is available, with the District providing water at reduced per-acre-foot rates to promote use and aquifer recharge.
• Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Operations Regulatory function established under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act responsible for developing and implementing groundwater sustainability plans for the Madera Subbasin in coordination with neighboring agencies.
• Fresno River Management Administration of water rights and pre-adjudication planning for the Fresno River watershed as part of the District's broader water management responsibilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 128,000 acres served by the Groundwater Sustainability Agency
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2025Madera Irrigation District partnered with Stanford University on groundwater recharge research. The project involves assessment of recharge basin performance from both water quantity and water quality perspectives. Stanford University provides soils analysis, water quality analysis, and grant funding for installation of multiple monitoring well fields. The goal is to benefit MID and water management agencies across the Central Valley of California. Professor Richard 'Dick' Luthy led the project and was honored with a monitoring well dedication on January 20, 2026 after his passing.
• Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA)minorOthersMID is linked to ACWA, a statewide water association that provides advocacy, education, and networking for water agencies in California.
• California Special Districts Association (CSDA)minorOthersMID is affiliated with CSDA, an association representing California's special districts, providing resources, advocacy, and training.
• California Department of Water ResourcesminorOthersState agency providing water resources management, regulatory oversight, and resources for California's water systems.
• United States Bureau of ReclamationminorOthersFederal agency responsible for management of water resources in the western United States, including CVP water supply.
• Friant Water AuthorityminorOthersRegional water authority that MID is linked to for water resource coordination in the Friant water district area.
• Madera-Chowchilla Water & Power AuthorityminorOthersRegional water and power authority for coordination on water and power resources in Madera and Chowchilla counties.
• Cal Poly Irrigation Training & Research CenterminorOthersAcademic partner providing irrigation training and research resources for water management professionals.
• California Agricultural Technology InstituteminorOthersAcademic institute at Fresno State providing agricultural technology research and resources.
• Water Education FoundationminorOthersNonprofit organization dedicated to increasing understanding of water issues and resources in California.
• City of MaderaminorOthersCollaborating agency in the Madera Subbasin. City of Madera has its own GSA separate from MID GSA.
• Madera Water DistrictminorOthersCollaborating agency in the Madera Subbasin with its own separate GSA area within MID boundaries.
• County of MaderaminorOthersCollaborating agency in the Madera Subbasin GSP preparation alongside City of Madera, Madera Water District, and MID.
• Gravelly Ford Water DistrictminorOthersOne of the 4 other agencies in the Madera Subbasin preparing their own Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
• New Stone Water DistrictminorOthersOne of the 4 other agencies in the Madera Subbasin preparing their own Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
• Root Creek Water DistrictminorOthersOne of the 4 other agencies in the Madera Subbasin preparing their own Groundwater Sustainability Plan.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Federal agency that delivers CVP water to MID via Friant Water Authority; relevant as the upstream supplier whose allocation decisions directly drive MID's annual water availability and revenue capacity.
• California Department of Water Resources: State agency regulating water resources and administering SGMA oversight; relevant as the regulator under which MID operates its GSA, coordinates subbasin planning, and accesses state water infrastructure funding.

Direct peers

• Root Creek Water District: Adjacent agricultural water district in the Madera Subbasin preparing its own GSP; comparable as a peer-sized irrigation district subject to the same SGMA coordination and Central Valley water-supply dynamics as MID.
• Madera Water District: Neighboring water district within the Madera Subbasin with its own separate GSA area; serves overlapping agricultural customers with similar surface and groundwater delivery services, and is one of MID's direct coordination partners under SGMA.
• Chowchilla Water District: Neighboring agricultural irrigation district in Madera County; directly comparable as a CVP-served irrigation district providing surface water and groundwater recharge to Central Valley growers under similar regulatory conditions.
• Tulare Irrigation District: Established California irrigation district delivering surface water to agricultural growers in the San Joaquin Valley; comparable as a fellow member-district of Friant Water Authority with similar grower customers and recharge obligations.
• Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District: Tulare County water district involved in groundwater recharge, conjunctive use, and SGMA implementation; comparable to MID in combining surface water delivery with active groundwater recharge programs for Central Valley agriculture.
• Gravelly Ford Water District: One of the other four GSAs preparing its own Groundwater Sustainability Plan within the Madera Subbasin; comparable as a small adjacent agricultural irrigation district operating under the same SGMA framework.

Broad incumbents

• Westlands Water District: The largest agricultural water district in the United States, serving growers in western Fresno and Kings counties; comparable as a large-scale CVP agricultural irrigation district subject to SGMA and federal allocation variability.
• Friant Water Authority: Regional water authority coordinating Friant Division CVP water supply for 29 member agencies including MID; comparable because MID relies on Friant for Class 1 surface water supply and participates in regional water management and policy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/maderaid

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Madera Irrigation District